


Swirling Images

by madam_minnie



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-03-04
Updated: 2007-03-04
Packaged: 2017-10-03 11:39:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madam_minnie/pseuds/madam_minnie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Healing more than a broken heart, can tear you apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Swirling Images

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by ericahpfa's amazing Puppy art found [here](http://ericahpfa.livejournal.com/58572.html) and [here](http://ericahpfa.livejournal.com/35576.html). She says she's yet to inspire a fic with her art. I hope this proves how inspiring you can be, luv.  
> 

The moon's ascent had been more painful this month than at any other time and Remus knew and understood why even when Moony howled and tore at himself in desolation. Bones cracked, his heart beat furiously against his rib cage and even his eyes seemed to bulge even more protuberant than before. Staring into the small mirror in his room, he fought the Change, needing to grip to his humanity and his understanding of recent events. Fingers gripped the edge of the mirror and pitching it across the room with newly transformed claws, he howled and tore at the last vestiges of his humanity.

There was no time to sequester the werewolf in a safe haven, nor was it prudent to approach a mourning wolf during a burning moon but even as his mind reminded him of the dangers, Albus Dumbledore pushed the giant mirror down the corridor and carefully rapped on the door of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. The portraits along the corridor admonished him for his actions, while others gasped as they saw him approach the door housing the madman they believed was tearing the classroom apart.

"This is certainly not the most prudent of actions, Professor," a young boy in the portrait said while his mother nodded wide-eyed.

Pushing the door open, Dumbledore winked at the young lad and heaved the mirror inside. The room had been torn apart. Desks lay toppled, some split in two and the dead eyes of the grindylow in the tank stared at the Headmaster.

"I have brought you a gift, Remus."

The growl that greeted him was thankfully far enough away that it gave the professor enough time to merely nod and slip back out of the door, locking it magically after him.

The piercing howl that split the night air, reverberated through the elder wizard and placing a hand on the door, he bowed his head and whispered, "I am so sorry, Remus."

Remus reined Moony's anger and desolation as much as he could before the last of his soul was ripped from him by the unforgiving moon. Briefly, he recognized the gleaming white beard as one belonging to someone he held in high regard and his canine eyes registered the reflective surface that remained in the room after the human… dinner… meat… left the room.

Sniffing the air, Moony howled longingly for his mate. It was mating season. His mate would come. He would soon feel the familiar nuzzle against his flank calling him to play and his eyes would settle on the dark fur of his mate. Year after year, he had called to his mate in vain and then suddenly, there he was. Calling him to frolick. Giving chase. Nuzzling his muzzle. Licking him clean after a fresh kill.

He howled again, taking steps toward the scent of the flesh that had just been in his presence. If his mate was to be late, he could at least hunt for food. The musty air held not a whiff of blood and his ears could not sense a heartbeat apart from his own. Toppling large wooden objects in search of food, Moony's hunger grew and when he heard the crack beneath his left paw, he dipped his head quickly hoping the sound led to a crushed bone he could separate from fresh meat. He found instead a pair of gleaming yellow eyes staring back at him. Growling at his opponent, he lowered his head and rolled his shoulders. He would pounce on this threat and prove himself Alpha once more.

The scent of blood, however kept the wolf at bay. His hunger was now maddening and he needed to tear into flesh… needed to bury his nose in the metallic scent before ripping his prey apart. But, where had the prey gone? Turning quickly, his tail whipping fast around him, he made several circles where he thought the scent had been and lunged at the blood-soaked paw only to howl in pain as his teeth pierced through his forepaw.

Limping, he whimpered as he licked the wound and settled in front of a giant wooden object he vaguely remembered seeing before. He needed his mate and as his paw now pulsed in pain, he yipped and snapped his jaws at the air, his signal for his mate to hurry. In the distance, he heard footsteps on the grass, liquid dripping against a stone, perhaps a brook where a doe or rabbit was now drinking. He tried to stand, but his battered leg would not hold his weight and hearing the snap of bone, he toppled to the ground again.

The need to feed was quickly being surpassed by the need to survive. If he remained in the open, bleeding and wounded, he would be ambushed but if he attempted to stand, he could cause himself more pain. His fur bristled as panic settled in hearing a howl far in the distance, he lifted his head quickly and stared into the eyes of battered and bleeding wolf in front of him. Sniffing the air, he tried to asses the danger and was surprised to see the other wolf do the same. He growled, baring fangs and saw the other wolf repeat his actions. Tilting his head to the side, he stared deeper into what he was sure now was his own reflection and yelped when the image swirled and changed before his eyes.

A wolf sat on his haunches, the night air billowing against his tawny fur, waiting. The forest around him seemed to whisper and mutter around him as the lupine form waited. Seconds before the large black dog bounded in and toppled him backward, the wolf turned and barely grinned at the site of his mate. Rolling along the leaves on the forest floor, the wolf snapped his jaws and licked the muzzle of the panting dog atop him then pushed him off and took off at a run, howling and barking for him to follow. The image swirled again and Moony whimpered, lowering his head to lick his wound, eyes upturned to watch the new image appear.

Two men lay naked beside a cool spring, their bodies intertwined, tongues dueling in the air as their grunts and moans seemed to echo against the large rocks around them. The black-haired man, was atop the tawny-haired man, his torso exposed as his hips undulated against the other man's. The air seemed to sizzle around them and Moony watched, transfixed at the men he knew in the swirling image before him.

Image after image swirled past him throughout the night and Remus found himself lying naked in front of the Mirror of Erised in the middle of his DADA classroom the following morning. Faint memories of the Change led to moments of lucidity as a wolf where he could vaguely remember seeing the images played out before a reflective surface. When he lifted his gaze toward the mirror, eyes glistening, he stood slowly. His muscles and bones ached terribly but with a trembling hand, he lifted his fingers to the cool glass and brushed his fingertips along Sirius' lips. He didn't hear Dumbledore come in, nor did he feel him wrap a cloak around his shoulders as his heart broke again and again at the image of Sirius smiling down at him from the infernal mirror he was housed in.

He cried. He howled. He let his heart rip him completely apart and somewhere deep down, he heard Moony's piercing howl in reply.


End file.
